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The Spotted Cleaner Shrimp

Preview A purple, white and black spotted cleaner shrimp sits on an anemone.
(© Erwin Poliakoff, Flickr)

The spotted cleaner shrimp is the dentist of the reef. These shrimp eat parasites, dead skin, and pesky food bits stuck in the mouths of fish. Entering the mouth of a potential predator may seem suicidal but the shrimp are so good at their job that fish will line up to have their mouths cleaned by the cleaner shrimp.